Switch and signal apparatus



Patented Jan. 21, 1896.

v. 0. SPIOER. SWITGHAND SIGNAL APPARATUS.

Fl G-l- V (Nq Model.)

will? GRAPIANL PHOTOUWQWASHINGI'DN DI.

UNITED [STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VIBE C. SPICER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SWITCII ANDSIGNAL COMPANY, OF SW'ISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA.

SWITCH AND SIGNAL APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 553,477, dated. January21 1896.

Application filed May 21, 1892. Serial No. 433,846. (No modelJ To allwhom it may concern: brackets are formed bearings for the shafts Be itknown that I, VIBE C. SPIGER, a citi- 1, which are made polygonal orother irreguzen of the United States,residingatChicago, lar shape incross-section. The journals 2 in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, for these shafts are formed by sleeves having 55 5 haveinvented or discovered certain new and a round exterior portion adaptedto fit the useful Improvements in Switch and Signal bearings 011thebrackets and having an in- Apparatus, of which improvements thefollowternal contour corresponding to the cross-secing is aspecification. tional shape of the shafts. These sleeves The inventiondescribed herein relates to which fit the shafts snugly are held thereon60 IO certain improvements in devices technically by set-screws 4, orthe shaft may be locked known as lead-outs, which are employed asagainst slipping longitudinally through for connecting theoperating-levers with the the sleeve by upsetting aportion of the shaftswitches and signals. These lead-outs consist at each end of the sleeve,as shown in Fig. 9. of round shafts provided with arms to which The arms5 and 6, to which the operating 65 the operating-levers in the tower andthe levers and the connections to the switch and pipes or wire leadingto the switch and signal signal-operatingmechanism are attached, aremechanisms are connected. It has heretoprovided at one end with sockets7 of an infore been customary to weld the arms to the ternal size andshape to fit the shafts easily shafts prior to shipping them to placesof and snugly, as shown in Figs. 4-, 5 and 6. 70 use, in order toprevent any slipping of the These arms are held as against movement armsaround the shafts. It frequently hapalong the shafts by set-screws S, asshown in pens that in erecting the switch and. signal Fig. 4, or byupsetting portions of the shafts plant circumstances will require suchalteraon each side of the sockets, as shown in Fig. tions as tonecessitate a change in the posi- 9. If desired, the eyes or sockets atthe ends 75 tions of the arms; but as the arms are welded of the armsmay be split, and then clamped on, these changes involve considerablelabor, tightly around the shafts by means of bolts delay and expense.10, passing through lugs 9 formedin opposite The object of the presentinventionis to so sides of the split, as shown in Figs. 5, 6, 7construct the lead-outs that an adjustment and 8. In order to preventany rattling of 80 of the arms around and along the shafts can thesockets or eyes, when using rods square be readily made at the point oferection of the in cross-section and the split eyes or sockets, plant.which bear upon three sides of the shafts, In general terms theinvention consists in filling-pieces or washers 11 are slipped upon theconstruction and combination, substanthe bolts 10. These filling-piecesare made 85 3 5 tially as hereinafter fully described and with a seriesof flat faces and the holes for claimed. the passage of the bolts arebored eccentric In the accompanying drawings, forming so that byrotating the washer a firm'bearing apart of this specification, Figure 1isaplan thereof on the shaft may be obtained, as view of a lead-outembodying my invention. shown in Figs. 6 and 7. The eyes or sockets 0 40Fig. 2 is a sectional detail view of the end of may beheld tightly uponthe shafts by means one of the lead-out shafts to which the operofwedges 12 driven between the bolt or a ating-lever is connected. Fig. 3is an end sleeve surrounding the same and the shaft, view of one of thejournal-sleeves. Figs. at as shown in Fig. 8. and 5 are detail views ofthe arms, showing I claim herein as my invention- 5 the manner ofattaching them to the shafts. 1. Inaswitch and signal apparatus, amech-Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 are sectional detail views anism interposed in theconnections between showing various modifications of the manner theoperating lever or levers and the part or of attaching the arms to theshafts. parts to be operated thereby for changing the In the practice ofmyinvention the brackets direction of movement of the connections, 100for the rock-shafts are constructed in the said mechanism consisting ofone or more usualmanner, and on the upper ends of these shafts and twoor more arms mounted on each shaft, one or more of the arms beingcapable of angular adjustment around and of longitudinal adjustmentalong the shaft or shafts, one of the arms being adapted for connectionwith the operating lever or levers and the other arm or arms with thepart or parts to be operated by said lever, substantially as set forth.

2. In a switch and signal apparatus, a mechanism interposed in theconnections between the operating lever or levers and the part or partsto be operated thereby for changing the direction of movement of theconnections, said mechanism consisting of one or more shafts angular incross section, journal sleeves fitting on said shaft or shafts andhaving round exterior surfaces, and removably at tached to the shaft orshafts, and two or more ment around the shaft, one of the arms beingadapted for connection with the operating lever and the other arm orarms with the part or parts to be operated by said lever, substantiallyas set forth.

3. In a mechanism for connecting operating levers, &c., with theswitches or signals to be operated, the combination of a shaft angularin cross section, an arm provided with a split eye or socketcorresponding in contour to the shaft, bolts. for clamping the eye orsocket around the shaft, and filling pieces having a series of fiatfaces and an eccentric opening thereto arranged on the bolt,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

VIBE C. SPICER.

itnesses:

JOHN H. KINZIE, MoRRIs THEIN.

